Free Hunger of the Heart (Wolves of Ravenwillow Book 1) by Magenta Phoenix Page A

sigh of relief, her fingers closed around the thin cylinder shaped tube of scarlet red lip stick. Bending closer to the mirror, she very carefully brought the exposed tip of her lipstick to her upper lip. Her hand jerked off course when the startling sound of her phone erupted through the silence of her bathroom/bedroom.
    Grabbing a tissue, she wiped away the spear of red across her cheek as she walked to the phone. Not bothering to look at the caller I.D. this time, she plucked up the phone, cradling it against the side of her face and her shoulder as she returned in front of her bathroom mirror.
    “Hello?” she answered while concentrating once more on applying lipstick to her parted lips. Instead of hearing a return response, only silence greeted her. “Hello?” she repeated, seconds away from just hanging up.
    “You sound like you’re in a better mood.”
    The sound of Eric’s smooth voice had chills racing up her spine, at least before her hard resolve fell into place. “What do you want, Eric?”
    “I thought I’d treat you to dinner to apologize for my behavior last night. Interested?” he asked in a way that told Rebecca that he’d expected her to agree. His arrogance was so heavy that it seemed to float from the phone.
    “No, thank you.” As soon as the words left her mouth she could have sworn she heard a barely audible growl floating from the background.
    Let him growl, he’s not getting his way this time. She thought smugly
    “Why not?” His voice rumbled out.
    “I’m busy tonight, doing street walker things if you must know.” She snapped, turning to her right, tugging open the third drawer of the mounted linen cabinet. Reaching beneath a neatly folded stack of towels, she withdrew a small, hidden box. Inside was a collection of her most valued jewelry; all that she had left of her mother. Selecting a simple necklace she turned back to the mirror, still holding the phone to her ear.
    “Is that why you’re upset with me?” when she didn’t answer, feeling his wolf becoming more anxious, causing him to pace around his desk before he continued, “I didn’t mean it, Rebecca.” She still didn’t answer. What should he say?
    “Eric, why did you really call? Are you bored and just wanted to torment me on my day off?”
    Rubbing a hand against the back of his neck, he slowly settled in the chair behind his desk. “Possibly,”
    “Well it will have to wait until after my date tonight. Speaking of; I need to finish getting—”
    Outraged; Eric leapt from his chair, nearly crushing the phone with his lupine strength. “Date? What date? You have a date?”
    “Aren’t those all roughly the same question?”
    A growl rumbled deep in his chest, while his wolf snarled at the idea of an unseen male courting his Rebecca. “Who is he?”
    “Why do you care?” she asked uncaringly, while adjusting the simple oval, moonstone pendant necklace over the slope of her throat.
    While gritting his teeth, his fist clenched tightly around the plastic phone as he fought his rising temper. “At least tell me his name.” So I know who to kill…
    “Eric, I really don’t have time for this.”
    “You’ll make time!” he bit out, sounding as though his words came out through clenched teeth. “Where did you meet this guy anyway? How do you know he’s not some psycho?”
    Shrugging out of her terry bathrobe, standing in nothing but her red lacy bra and panties, she reached out for her folded purple blouse and black slacks on the edge of the sink. After pulling up her thin slacks, her eyes were drawn back to her reflection and her scars that seemed to illuminate against her pale colored skin.
    Her hand hesitantly reached up to trace the white, raised scars that marred her soft skin, Scars from angry claws and lethal teeth, which had torn her skin like a knife slicing through butter. One scar was a short four claw slash from the center of her collar bone, across the swell of her right breast. Turning